Duck and cover, the mage left his GPS at home

[Rel]

I tell the player to pick the center point of the spell effect. I give them about 6 seconds to do this.

Then we take out the clear mylar template for the area of effect and lay it down over the center point. Whatever is in the area of effect is in the area of effect.

If I was going to require a skill check, it would be Spellcraft. Probably DC15+spell level.

 

[NPC]

nsruf has hit the nail on the head.

If your DM uses this house rule, then, to be fair, he should also remove the grid and make the fighter types state their actions first, then measure move distances and resolve whether they have enough movement to perform their actions.

Part of the power of casting a spell is being able to place it exactly where you want it. This house rule weakens spellcasters a bit too much, IMO. If I was a spellcaster and my DM threw this house rule at me during the middle of a campaign, I'd be a little peeved.

Quick question, is your DM disallowing the Sculpt Spell feat? If not, how will his house rule work with it?

I agree with Rel's method. Place spell relatively quickly, determine effects. If it hits allies, oh well . . .

 

[Thirsty]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I quite like the idea of using spellcraft, although it still tends to penalise sorcerers a little.

Rel - your idea of using a quickly placed template seems like a good plan too. I'll make up some cardboard ones and take it along next time we play.

Cheers everyone.

 

[The Lemon Merchant]

Well in a past Ravenloft campaign I played a dwarven fighter that was particularly resilent (read: Lucky) and basically acted as a targeting computer for the mages in the party. He'd wade his way into combat (or have combat wade its way to him, depending on his initiative) and then the wizard would ask "More Beer?" and he would respond "Yes, have some" at which point firey death would rain down centered on me. Took the guess work out of area affect spells.

 

[Jeremy]

I never met him, but I already love that dwarf!

 

[I'm A Banana]

CON-CEN-TRA-TION

*clap-clap-clap-clap-clap*

Puts all the spellcasters on pretty even footing.

Though I'm with the others that said it's not a particularly great idea...I don't think the casters know the exact distance, they just know where, and what's too far.

 

[Destil]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I quite like the idea of using spellcraft, although it still tends to penalise sorcerers a little.

Well, while a Sorc dosn't need to keep getting higher and higher Int all the time in order to be effective, it is a very important stat for them (should usualy be #2, if you're into min/maxing). And with spellcraft as a class skill things should usualy be fine (I, myself, give sorcerers a free point of spell-craft with every level, since the're natural spellcasters). It reflects their less praticed and more improvisal nature, if you want a more in-game reason.

Rel - your idea of using a quickly placed template seems like a good plan too. I'll make up some cardboard ones and take it along next time we play.

I like that one, too... and with a six second round (so about three seconds for spell-placement would be right) I think giving the player a marker / template for their spell effect and loudly counting ONE... TWO... will become my default soultion, should I need one.

 

[ForceUser]

I'm of the opinion that if the caster can see it he can place his spell simply by glancing at the area he's casting at. And I agree with the above poster who said that if you make casters roll for placement you should get rid of the grid and make everyone guesstimate. Or make fighters make Int checks to get past threantened spaces or into flanking positions. Do you guys know where we're coming from on this?

 

[Victim]

I agree with Hong.

As long as casters don't take a week and a half picking their spells, looking them up, and plotting the areas affected, then I don't really care. I think players should generally have their action ready to go on their turn, unless something important happened just before their turn.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

This is a bit anal but I made a bunch of AoE pieces fit to the scale of the mat we use. The caster of the spell, basically picks up the piece and places it down in one motion, what is in the AoE is in the AoE. It took a while to draw and cut out all the AoEs but in the end I think it was worth it. (I make anyone who takes that double range meta-magic feat, amke there own dang cones)